


Back In Years

by 1f_this_be_madness



Series: Beyond the Rhapsody [15]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Banter, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Eddie Kaspbrak is a Mess, Epic Friendship, Gen, Gwilym Lee Is a Sweetheart, Halloween, Horror, Hugs, Movie Night, Movie Reference, Movie: IT (2017), Pet Names, Platonic Kissing, Possible triggers from horror movie images, Richie Tozier is a Little Shit, Sassy Stanley Uris, Scary Movies, Swearing, Sweet, The Losers Club (IT) All Appear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:41:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22471219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness
Summary: As they've been working and on tour for their own film, the Bohemian Rhapsody boys missed seeing certain other movies in theaters.And thus, for a Halloween gathering, Joe has the bright idea to watch a scary movie. Some of his mates are more enthusiastic about this than others...(Or, the boys watch the IT remake together and learn some things)
Relationships: Ben Hardy & Gwilym Lee & Rami Malek & Joe Mazzello
Series: Beyond the Rhapsody [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1390516
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

"Are you serious, Joe? I really don't need to come to understand the nefarious workings of an evil mind."

"Wow, deep statement there, Benny. It's a great Halloween movie, I've heard. Plus I'm sure Pennywise isn't tHAT bad."

"...I was talking about Stephen King, but alright mate," Ben roughs up his hair with a small sigh.

"Wait, Pennywise is the clown, isn't he?" Rami rubs his own arms and shuffles a little. "I... might be with Ben," he speaks softly. Ben automatically leans into him and wraps an arm around Rami's shoulders. 

A pair of long arms wraps around them both, and Gwil leans his dark head over both of theirs. "Well we can have candy and popcorn and drinking, and snuggles if all else fails," he says, rubbing a hand up and down Rami's back. The shorter man automatically leans into Gwilym's lean chest in gratitude. 

"S'ppose we can also change over to another film if it's too terribly bad," Ben says. 

"Bad like, B movie horror, or bad like shit your pants from fear?" Joe asks.

Gwilym rolls his eyes and Ben shakes his head with a rueful chuckle. Rami stares Joe down, and he laughs a little awkwardly.

"Okay, I get it. And yeah, we can totally change it, I just think it'll be fun." The bright hopeful look on Joe's face makes his mates soften, Gwil nods at him with a smile. 

"We can do some face painting or something else, help Ben embody his true angelic form, like," Gwilym says.

Ben points a mock-threatening forefinger at Gwilym. "You try to do that, Cheekbones, and you'll be sorry."

"What'll you do to me, then? Eh, Cherub?" Gwil waggles his eyebrows. 

Ben stares and flushes, grumbling in the force of his friend's twinkling blue gaze "I dunno, but I'll think of something."

***

They arrive at the chosen place one by one on Halloween, Joe opening the door to everyone. Gwil leaps out with a ridiculous rubber mask on, which makes Rami shriek and shove him. He laughs and then pulls it up, tossing it away as he puts his arms out to Rami, giving his shorter mate a hug and resting his chin in Rami's soft hair. "I'm sorry," he says.

Rami softens and smiles, hugging him back, nestling into Gwilym's chest. "It's okay, Gwil."

"Okay bring it in, we all need a hug," Joe announces as Ben raps on the door and comes in with a bunch of snacks.

"Oi!" He calls and shoves the snacks at Joe, all drama. "You tell me to go get snacks and I almost miss the group hug? Shame," he clicks his tongue at Joe, who shrugs.

"Sorry, Benny. But you're here now." They all come together for a hug, clapping each other on the backs and nestling close. 

"Alright, popcorn and we can put the movie in, yeah? No one's going to scream," Ben says, a trifle shakily. "...Rght?" Gwilym rubs his back.

"Okay, mate."

Rami gulps. "I'll try not to," he says.

Fifteen minutes later,

"What the fuck are you doing?! No, no, don't go grab that boat, Georgie, god! Someone stop him!" 

Ben grabs onto Joe's arm as Joe stares, eyes wide and face white with horror as the glowing eyes of Pennywise precede the sight of his friendly yet predatory smile and the rest of his face peering at little Georgie, so innocent and sweet and young. Ben's knuckles go white on Joe's forearm as Joe lets out a tiny sound. Rami curls into Gwil on the other side of the couch, and Gwilym extends his free hand to take Ben's.

Ben feels Joe begin shaking as Georgie crawls across the rain-slicked pavement, crying as he quickly expires, and he takes his hand off his friend's arm to wrap around Joe's shoulders. 

Joe looks over at him, tears in his eyes, lips trembling. "Okay, this...might be a - a scarier movie than I thought it'd be," he whispers to Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why inspiration decided to grant me this idea, nowhere close to Halloween, I might add. IT Part 1 is a very interesting film, and the group of friends in the film are bonded closely like the BoRhap boys :) just with...more fear involved.
> 
> Hope you'll like this, comments appreciated <3


	2. Chapter 2

"Wow, Richie, you little shit," becomes the mantra of all the boys from the second scene onwards, that along with frustration bordering on disgust.

"Why the hell are they not noticing the random red things showing up--"

"And _why in the BLOODY HELL would you follow a balloon floating down some creepy-ass library basement stairs when it SHOWS UP OUT OF NOWHERE?!_ "

"I don't like this, his name is Ben too...,"

"I think part of the ...alluring aspect of Pennywise, if you will, is a sort of inexorable draw to him. People get curious," Gwil says, stroking his chin and squinting at the screen intently, one arm still around Rami, hand running up and down his upper arm. He had used the other to look at his phone in order to check out information on the film (and corresponding novel) in a valiant attempt to make it less fearsome for himself and his friends. Rami leans into him with a grateful and interested little nod and noise.

"Kids are definitely curious," Joe croaks out. 

Ben rubs Joe's back. "And these particular kids are strong, too," he says. His blue green gaze travels across Joe's features. He can tell something about the film, particularly dealing with Bill and Georgie, is poignant to Joe, and tears at him. Perhaps because he has a younger sibling himself. 

Joe sucks in a breath and smiles shakily at Ben. "Yeah, they are. Beverly is a badass," he whoops during her scene in her bathroom, even as there is gagging in the room because of the excess of coagulate gore on-screen. 

"Good thing she's got good friends," Rami murmurs.

"Awww, yeah, look at them!" Joe says, brightening. He offers the bowl of popcorn Ben had bought and popped. "Hey Gwilly, would you help me clean my bathroom?"

Gwil snags a handful and tosses a kernel into the air, sticking out his tongue and catching it. "Depends on what you wanted me to clean up, sweetheart," he grins over, and Joe gasps dramatically.

Ben starts laughing and Rami smiles. 

"Good point, Gwil."


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, god Eddie, I'd be running too, man."

"Did you see him fall through the floor?!? That poor kid! How can he still be alive right now, damn!"

"Kids' bodies are pretty resilient."

"Yeah, but still. Pennywise, you get your arse aWAY from him...!" 

Joe winces sympathetically, Gwilym's eyes are bulging, and Ben is clenching his jaw and fists like he wants to reach through the television screen and throttle Pennywise as he gets ahold of Eddie.

Rami speaks up after Eddie's mom yells at the rest of the kids about her son being injured, saying to stay away from and never talk to him again, despite all of their attempts to explain: "...The adults in this town are almost as scary as Pennywise. He may be nightmarish, but they're..." Rami shudders, not having the word to pinpoint exactly what aspect of the adult characters most bothers him.

"... They're representative of everyday evil?" Gwil suggests as he looks down into Rami's eyes. Rami gazes back with gratitude for Gwilym knowing what he was trying to say, along with such sadness because the everyday nature of evil is something not solely confined to movies. Gwil lifts one long hand to cup Rami's face, stroking his cheek. "But we can all work together to combat everyday evils, yes?" He says softly.

Rami closes his eyes, nodding in a sharp, emphatic manner. "Yes, by being kind and doing our best in this life, with what we've got." 

Gwil smiles, eyes warm and bright as he keeps holding Rami's face lovingly. "You are long away ahead of the game on perseverance and kindness, Rami," he responds softly, and Rami grows bashful, ducking his chin and flushing a little. "I mean it," adds Gwil. "That's why you're our Freddie."

Rami looks back up at him and wraps his arms around Gwil's neck, giving his friend a lingering kiss on one sharp cheek. "I know you mean it," he says as he withdraws his lips, heart performing a little leap. It's a thrill every time he is compared to Freddie Mercury. And it means so much to him when Gwilym makes such a comparison. "Thank you."

"Of course."

"Are you guys even watching, because aww, your love is so great, and love is gonna save the day here in this movie, I just know it!" Joe waves an arm excitedly as Ben looks at Gwil and Rami with a soft expression on his face. He opens an arm for his mates to snuggle in as Rami gulps and prepares himself to watch the film's climax.

"Oh my god, they're floating." 

"I can't believe Bev got taken after she stood up to her dad, that's bullshit!"

"They're all dead, oh god, is SHE dead?"

"No, no, it's like she's in a trance, look at her eyes. C'mon Beverly, snap out of it, you can do it!"

"...or Ben can help with a kiss, aww that's so sweet and romantic. Are you ever gonna write me a poem and kiss me like that, Benny?" Joe bats his eyelashes and winks dramatically.

Ben chuckles and makes a show of pondering. "Dunno, Joe. I think you're gonna have to earn it. Bev earned it by being super nice."

"I'm nice!" Joe pouts.

Ben looks at him and then grins, giving him a side hug along with a lingering glance. "Yeah, you are. Alright, I'll see what I can do." 

Joe beams. And then he gets quiet, save for a slight high sound at the back of his throat as Billy talks to Georgie, says he's sorry he didn't protect him, sorry he can't bring him home. All the boys look to Joe after the shot rings out and see the tear tracks sluicing down his face as he sniffs. Instantly Gwil moves in, and Rami, with murmurs and hugs and a handkerchief got from somewhere. Ben wraps his arm around Joe and kisses his forehead. All that, along with Richie saying now he has to kill this fucking clown --"Hell yes, Richie!"-- helps Joe cease crying and smile and thank his mates.

As the friends in the movie all stand together at the end, Stanley saying he hates them all, "What a sass-master, brilliant," the four viewers grow quiet at Bill's words, at the promise he makes and asks them all to make too. Something of that moment seeps into the room, and the four Bohemian Rhapsody boys find themselves holding hands after the picture is over. All nod, squeeze each other in their grips, sniff or smile. Rami pushes back a lock of Ben's hair after they let go, and Gwil ruffles Joe's. It's a true bond they have formed, and this movie is another way to help them see it. 

And then, of course, "So this means next Halloween we have to watch Chapter Two!"

"Oh, god, no."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we end with all the friendship, I love these guys so much
> 
> Thanks as always to the BoRhap boys; also to my friends for watching IT with me last Halloween
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this, comments appreciated <3


End file.
